Congratulations to Justin Siegel, UC Davis Genome Center associate director, on receiving the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the inaugural UC Regents Innovation Awards!
Siegel was recognized for his outstanding contributions to research, innovation and entrepreneurship. His work focuses on designing and discovering enzymes with applications ranging from therapeutics and sustainable chemical production to food and fuel. He is also a co-inventor on more than 100 global patents and has helped launch more than 10 companies and organizations.
Peppermint is getting a genetic makeover! UC Davis researchers, led by Distinguished Professor Luca Comai, used radiation-induced mutations to create more than 250 genetically distinct peppermint variants from the popular Black Mitcham variety.
These new variants could help researchers uncover genes linked to disease resistance, flavor, and other useful traits—opening up fresh possibilities for improving this flavorful crop.
Professor Pamela C. Ronald of the University of California, Davis, has been recognized with two awards highlighting both her scientific contributions and her commitment to research integrity.
Ronald received the U21 Award for Climate Action for her globally recognized work in plant genetics and sustainable agriculture. Her co-development of Sub1 flood-tolerant rice has helped strengthen climate resilience for millions of farmers across Asia, addressing the growing challenges of food security and climate change.
The Carvajal Lab’s Community team has received a $1.7 million award from the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM) to support a new project, “Advancing Equitable Precision Medicine in Federally Qualified Health Centers: A Community-Engaged Approach to Hereditary Genomic Conditions.”
“We need super-efficient gene editors to develop plants that can resist stressors such as drought and pathogens, or that produce higher yields,” said Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, a professor and chair in the Department of Plant Biology.
We are proud to share that David Segal has been named a 2025 Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Scholar. This prestigious recognition supports groundbreaking work in rare disease research and innovation.
As part of the program, each Scholar will receive:
The Proteomics Core's GC Symposium video "Omics Family Therapy" made a comeback after it's loss at the symposium this year and won the US HUPO (Human Proteome organization) Video contest at US HUPO'S most recent conference in Philadelphia last month
Researchers at the Genome Center have contributed to a groundbreaking study published in Science, revealing that chimpanzees possess genetic adaptations enabling them to thrive in diverse habitats, including forests and savannahs. Notably, the study identifies genetic variants in chimpanzees that may confer resistance to malaria, similar to protective mechanisms observed in humans.
